Are feelings questionable? - Think Atheist2017-09-26T21:55:58Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/are-feelings-questionable?commentId=1982180%3AComment%3A1157247&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noFeeling motivates me. Thinkin…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2014-02-19:1982180:Comment:14352182014-02-19T19:48:38.261ZTom Sarbeckhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/TomSarbeck
<p>Feeling motivates me. Thinking keeps me out of prison.</p>
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<p>Feeling motivates me. Thinking keeps me out of prison.</p>
<p></p> The way you feel can change o…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-10-28:1982180:Comment:13956772013-10-28T11:43:40.465ZLars NIelsenhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/LarsNIelsen
<p>The way you feel can change over time. For instance do you always feel the same for an ex-boy/girlfriend now. you can go from love to hate and so on.</p>
<p>Feelings are not universal and people feel different and there for I find feelings questionable, when something changes as often as feelings you have to question it or at least try to understand the outcome of acting on it. </p>
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<p>The way you feel can change over time. For instance do you always feel the same for an ex-boy/girlfriend now. you can go from love to hate and so on.</p>
<p>Feelings are not universal and people feel different and there for I find feelings questionable, when something changes as often as feelings you have to question it or at least try to understand the outcome of acting on it. </p>
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<p></p> I always tell my kids that no…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2012-07-20:1982180:Comment:11572472012-07-20T18:39:35.076ZBridget Ricehttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/BridgetRice
<p>I always tell my kids that no matter how they feel, it is not wrong. In that, I hope I'm getting across that feelings are NOT questionable. How you deal with what you feel is what matters.</p>
<p>I always tell my kids that no matter how they feel, it is not wrong. In that, I hope I'm getting across that feelings are NOT questionable. How you deal with what you feel is what matters.</p> "...Maybe you meet somebody,…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2012-05-19:1982180:Comment:11246032012-05-19T07:49:03.493ZTom Sarbeckhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/TomSarbeck
<p>"...Maybe you meet somebody, and they seem nice and everything, but yet over time you begin to really dislike them. You feel uncomfortable when they're around, you don't like seeing them, there's just something about them you don't like. You can't explain the feeling though, it's just something you have. Can you question this feeling?"</p>
<p>Asher, you described well the sequence of responses normal people might have upon meeting and remaining in contact with sociopaths. If you feel…</p>
<p>"...Maybe you meet somebody, and they seem nice and everything, but yet over time you begin to really dislike them. You feel uncomfortable when they're around, you don't like seeing them, there's just something about them you don't like. You can't explain the feeling though, it's just something you have. Can you question this feeling?"</p>
<p>Asher, you described well the sequence of responses normal people might have upon meeting and remaining in contact with sociopaths. If you feel uncomfortable quickly (and get away) you might avoid a lot of grief.</p>
<p></p> I think that a person can inf…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2012-01-17:1982180:Comment:10281582012-01-17T07:11:25.800ZJason D. Johnsonhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/JasonDJohnson
<p>I think that a person can influence their feelings, but never choose them. The feelings that I feel are not feelings that I have chosen. But feelings that more seemingly have chosen me. I can influence how I react to my emotions, but I cannot control them. I cannot stop loving my children simply by choosing not to. Feelings will always happen whether or not they have your permission. You do not have a right to choose the emotion you would like at any given time, but you can influence…</p>
<p>I think that a person can influence their feelings, but never choose them. The feelings that I feel are not feelings that I have chosen. But feelings that more seemingly have chosen me. I can influence how I react to my emotions, but I cannot control them. I cannot stop loving my children simply by choosing not to. Feelings will always happen whether or not they have your permission. You do not have a right to choose the emotion you would like at any given time, but you can influence the situation and your surroundings, thereby influencing yourself to be in a good mood. So.....to answer your question....</p>
<p>Because a thief may go out and choose to rob a bank, he is influencing the onset of a certain set of emotions. Does he have a choice which emotions he feels when his brain tells his body to be nervous and sweaty? No. He will feel that way whether he likes it or not because he allowed himself to be in a situation that presented the proper influences toward those emotions. But why did he choose this scenario, knowing it would cause these emotions? Other emotions. What emotions? Maybe a feeling of despair of being poor, or anger because he worked at the bank and got fired. Can you choose your emotions when you are fired or too poor to feed your children? Probably not, though you might try. But what if you didn't feel those things? What if your kids went hungry because you didn't care? You got fired from your job at the bank and only feel apathy, because you didn't care about the job or your family. So can you make yourself care? And if not, is it your fault that you can't make yourself care? Feelings are only questionable to the extent that we may question their origination and whether or not they are the actual feelings being felt (is the person in question displaying feelings other than the ones that are actually present?) Your mentality decides your emotions. Feelings may be questionable in that it is your responsibility to take well enough care of yourself and your responsibilities that your feelings are positively influenced. I may have to question your feelings if you are angry for being thrown in jail over robbing a bank. Though you didn't choose the emotion, you didn't choose a scenario that rules out that emotion as an option. And that is the extent of the subjective nature of feelings.</p> I have a feeling they should…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-10-14:1982180:Comment:8951122011-10-14T09:07:13.193ZJason Wardhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/JasonWard
<p>I have a feeling they should be questioned. The person doing the questioning may not be you but can still generalize and through questioning can hopefully come somewhere close to understanding your feeling and possibly helping you understand it as well. I personally suspect that belief, that is the religious variety, and feelings are related, the former being the somewhat unfortunate offspring of a feeling.</p>
<p>I have a feeling they should be questioned. The person doing the questioning may not be you but can still generalize and through questioning can hopefully come somewhere close to understanding your feeling and possibly helping you understand it as well. I personally suspect that belief, that is the religious variety, and feelings are related, the former being the somewhat unfortunate offspring of a feeling.</p> Sorry, I thought I was answer…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-10-14:1982180:Comment:8947412011-10-14T00:34:54.427ZSharon Mhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/SharonM
<p>Sorry, I thought I was answering it. I think its difficult for me to communicate what I mean regarding this question. Let me try again.</p>
<p>The question is whether people have a right to question the feelings of others, correct? Well, what I'm saying is that it depends on the situation. Some feelings are irrational, exactly like the example you gave of the abused wife loving her husband. Or another example could be desensitization to violence. If someone doesn't feel disturbed or saddened…</p>
<p>Sorry, I thought I was answering it. I think its difficult for me to communicate what I mean regarding this question. Let me try again.</p>
<p>The question is whether people have a right to question the feelings of others, correct? Well, what I'm saying is that it depends on the situation. Some feelings are irrational, exactly like the example you gave of the abused wife loving her husband. Or another example could be desensitization to violence. If someone doesn't feel disturbed or saddened after witnessing horrific violence then should that not be questioned? One of the profiles of a sociopath is that they do not experience emotions as someone "normally" would. They get extremely angry at small things and feel nothing at something that would normally bother them. I do recognize that people can feel different degrees of an emotion or different emotions to certain things depending on their experiences, but I think that there is a line at a certain point where some things should affect people the same way. If there were a starving, orphaned child on the street I would hope people in their right mind would feel sad about that. Some may be moved to tears, some may not show anything outwardly but at least they should should all feel some sadness. I really hope I answered it this time. If not I give up, I just dont seem to be getting it.</p>
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<p>As far as controlling one's reactions, I agree that reactions can be controlled but I don't think chemical imbalances are the only things that can prevent someone from reacting appropriately. Environmental influences can definitely play a part in shaping one's reactions. Someone raised by people with short-tempers will usually have one as well. In order to be able to control that response they must first acknowledge that its a problem , otherwise they will never be able to control it. </p> Well said, Craig. I concur.tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-10-13:1982180:Comment:8946162011-10-13T19:51:23.251ZMonica McGee (Monicks)http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Monicks
<p>Well said, Craig. I concur.</p>
<p>Well said, Craig. I concur.</p> That is exactly my feeling, S…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-10-13:1982180:Comment:8944212011-10-13T19:49:50.295ZMonica McGee (Monicks)http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Monicks
<p>That is exactly my feeling, Steve. (Pun intended.)</p>
<p>That is exactly my feeling, Steve. (Pun intended.)</p> I agree with you, Doug -- who…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-10-13:1982180:Comment:8943762011-10-13T19:16:22.446ZMonica McGee (Monicks)http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Monicks
<p>I agree with you, Doug -- wholeheartedly.</p>
<p>I agree with you, Doug -- wholeheartedly.</p>